Does General relativity distinguish a lot of difference to Newton gravity theory ?

Answer 1

In short no. Newton's theory of gravity is very close to accurate and described most phenomena accurately for centuries. One glitch it had was in predicting the orbit of Mercury. It orbited a bit wrong or something. Relativity updates the theory by including the warping of space-time. In the process gravity is no longer transmitted instantaneously but now at the speed of light. Newton's theory still works and predicts just about everything correctly at least in our day to day lives. However, Einstein's theories of relativity are more accurate and must be used in faster moving situations or situations with more mass than we usually have to deal with. Newton acts as an approximation that is usually indistinguishable from the truth.

Answer 2

Yes. Newton's gravity was meant to operate in an Euclidean space, whereas General Relativity starts from a Riemannian geometry. Somehow, Newton accepted the fact that mass was a given, immutable attribute to any bit of matter. Einstein saw it more as a consequence of the local curvature of the space where the matter is evolving in.

Answer 3

It does as far as the nature of gravity. Einstein's gravity is not an attractive force, it is a warping of space.

As for the effects of gravity, on a "normal" scale, it adds very little. It helps clear up some discrepancies with planetary motion. However without relativity, GPS satellites would be completely useless as they would be off by like 10 meters in one day without accounting for relativistic effects.

Answer 4

Up to this point, all the answers are right on point.

It should be pointed out that Newt's F = GMm/r^2 explains only what happens; it does nothing to explain why there is a force between masses. Nor does it explain the source of that energy that creates the force (F).

When work is done, energy is expended. Whenever a body is attracted to a source of gravitational force, work is being done. Yet, over millions of years of attracting meteors, comets, and space junk, there has been no appreciable degradation of Earth's force of gravity. Why is that? Is there an infinite source of energy that is yet to be discovered? Or might Newt's gravity law be flawed somehow? [See source.]

Answer 5

Newton's gravity theory cannot explain the stability of a homogenous and isotropic universe, as proposed in the Big Bang model, whereas this is predicted in GR.